Beijing, Feb 14: China today refuted as "groundless" the allegation that covert Chinese agents were attempting to smuggle sensitive items like F-16 aircraft engines, cruise missiles and other military wares from the United States.

"We have taken note of such reports. The accusation that China is collecting scientific and military intelligence is groundless," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told reporters while commenting on reports that a Taiwanese citizen has been indicted as a Chinese agent by a federal grand jury in Florida.

The man, identified as Ko-Suen Moo of Taipei, is charged with being a covert Chinese agent, and working with a Frenchman, Serge Voros, to try to ship sophisticated high-tech military equipment from the US to China.

Chinese military product importers have very strict review and monitoring process. Chinese military and importers will not buy any product from sellers without any lawful documents.

Moo and Voros have been indicted in Miami, Florida with attempting to export an F-16 aircraft engine, black hawk helicopter engines, cruise missiles and air-to-air missiles to China, the US immigration and customs enforcement authorities said last week.

While Moo is in federal custody in Florida, Voros remains at large, media reports said.

The indictment says Moo and Voros had been negotiating to deliver the equipment to China for two years.

To another question on reports that Chinese companies have transferred sensitive technology to Libyan firms, the spokesman said that such reports had nothing to do with China and that Beijing adhered to non-proliferation and opposed spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

"China's position on non-proliferation is very clear. We are resolutely opposed to any form of proliferation of WMD. China is a signatory to the NPT and has resolutely abided by its obligations," Liu said.

A federal grand jury in Florida has indicted two men, one from Taiwan and the other from France, on charges of conspiring to illegally send military equipment -- including an F-16 jet aircraft engine -- to the People's Republic of China. U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta said the nine-count indictment accuses Ko-Suen Moo, of Taipei, Taiwan; and Maurice Serge Voros, of Paris, with various violations of the Arms Export Control Act involving the illegal brokering and attempted export of prohibited defense articles to China. Trial in the case is pending before U.S. District Judge Donald L. Graham in Miami. Mr. Moo additionally was charged with being a Chinese covert agent, bribery, obstruction of justice and money laundering in connection with his purported efforts to pay $500,000 through an intermediary for his release from incarceration. Arrested in Miami in November, Mr. Moo has remained in custody since pleading not guilty to a prior indictment naming him on illegal-export charges. Mr. Voros remains at large. Mr. Moo, an ethnic Chinese citizen of South Korea, was the representative for U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin in Taiwan for nearly 10 years. A rising amount of money being spent by China on its military has alarmed U.S. officials, concerned that the military balance in the Asia-Pacific region could be altered. Much of that spending has gone toward a buildup of Chinese missiles pointed at Taiwan, which Beijing has threatened to seize if the island moves toward formal independence. "This case highlights the national security threat posed when agents of a foreign government seek to illegally acquire and export American military weaponry," Mr. Acosta said. "We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute foreign agents whose motives and actions are, by definition, detrimental to ... our national security." In addition to the aircraft engine, the two men are accused of attempting to acquire Black Hawk helicopter engines, cruise missiles and air-to-air missiles. They are accused of attempting to buy and ship 70 Black Hawk engines to China, but determined that the F-16 engine was more of a priority. U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesman Dean Boyd said the men, if convicted, would face prison terms of up to 20 years. Mr. Boyd said that since February 2004, Mr. Moo and Mr. Voros were negotiating for numerous defense articles for delivery to China; that during those negotiations, Mr. Moo traveled to this country on two occasions; and that Mr. Moo inspected an F-16 aircraft engine and wire-transferred $140,000 for fees to deliver it to an airstrip inside China. "In the post-September 11 world, keeping sensitive U.S. military components from falling into the wrong hands has never been more important," said ICE Special Agent in Charge Jesus Torres, who heads the agency's Miami field office.

Originally Posted By Bostonterrier97:Chinese military product importers have very strict review and monitoring process. Chinese military and importers will not buy any product from sellers without any lawful documents.

Where in the hell did they have this shit? Was it stashed in the mini-van? And how do you get your hands on this? "Sir is that an F-16 Jet engine in your pocket? or are you just gald to be here"? hock.gif

A federal grand jury in Florida has indicted two men, one from Taiwan and the other from France, on charges of conspiring to illegally send military equipment -- including an F-16 jet aircraft engine -- to the People's Republic of China. U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta said the nine-count indictment accuses Ko-Suen Moo, of Taipei, Taiwan; and Maurice Serge Voros, of Paris, with various violations of the Arms Export Control Act involving the illegal brokering and attempted export of prohibited defense articles to China. Trial in the case is pending before U.S. District Judge Donald L. Graham in Miami. Mr. Moo additionally was charged with being a Chinese covert agent, bribery, obstruction of justice and money laundering in connection with his purported efforts to pay $500,000 through an intermediary for his release from incarceration. Arrested in Miami in November, Mr. Moo has remained in custody since pleading not guilty to a prior indictment naming him on illegal-export charges. Mr. Voros remains at large. Mr. Moo, an ethnic Chinese citizen of South Korea, was the representative for U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin in Taiwan for nearly 10 years.A rising amount of money being spent by China on its military has alarmed U.S. officials, concerned that the military balance in the Asia-Pacific region could be altered. Much of that spending has gone toward a buildup of Chinese missiles pointed at Taiwan, which Beijing has threatened to seize if the island moves toward formal independence. "This case highlights the national security threat posed when agents of a foreign government seek to illegally acquire and export American military weaponry," Mr. Acosta said. "We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute foreign agents whose motives and actions are, by definition, detrimental to ... our national security." In addition to the aircraft engine, the two men are accused of attempting to acquire Black Hawk helicopter engines, cruise missiles and air-to-air missiles. They are accused of attempting to buy and ship 70 Black Hawk engines to China, but determined that the F-16 engine was more of a priority. U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesman Dean Boyd said the men, if convicted, would face prison terms of up to 20 years. Mr. Boyd said that since February 2004, Mr. Moo and Mr. Voros were negotiating for numerous defense articles for delivery to China; that during those negotiations, Mr. Moo traveled to this country on two occasions; and that Mr. Moo inspected an F-16 aircraft engine and wire-transferred $140,000 for fees to deliver it to an airstrip inside China. "In the post-September 11 world, keeping sensitive U.S. military components from falling into the wrong hands has never been more important," said ICE Special Agent in Charge Jesus Torres, who heads the agency's Miami field office.

"It is not the function of the government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error."--- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson

Originally Posted By eodtech2000:Didn't someone post here that the Chinese had extreme problems trying to reverse-engineer the engines for the Sukuoi?

When all you ever do is try to reverse engineer other's technology, you usually don't learn that much about why it works.

It's just like an automobile engine. There are a lot of people that can rebuild one. There's a smaller group that could take one and build the same thing from scratch. And then there's a much, much smaller group that could have designed it in the first place.

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."

"China's position on non-proliferation is very clear. We are resolutely opposed to any form of proliferation of WMD. China is a signatory to the NPT and has resolutely abided by its obligations," Liu said.